


Cruel Whims of Fate

by Kyarorain



Category: AI: The Somnium Files (Video Game)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-11
Updated: 2019-10-11
Packaged: 2020-11-28 10:11:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20964839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kyarorain/pseuds/Kyarorain
Summary: In the wake of a devastating phone call, Renju visits an old friend.





	Cruel Whims of Fate

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by the scene where Mizuki explains how she ended up discovering Manaka - she sees her father crying after a phone call. It's not said what exactly the phone call was about, but I guess it had something to do with Iris, hence this fic.
> 
> Written for Fictober prompt "Freeze".

Renju’s breath formed a white cloud before him the second he stepped inside the warehouse. He stood still for a moment, inhaling the freezing air and hugging his body. A deathly silence filled the building, thick and heavy in its presence. For the past eighteen years, only two people had been here. Himself, and Hitomi. 

After all, this building was the tomb of Manaka Iwai. Her body lay here, forever frozen in time after her life was stolen from her. 

His mind flashed back to the phone call he had received in his office. 

“A malignant brain tumour, grade 4, terminal.” Hitomi’s voice had been shaky and it sounded as if she was in tears. “They say she has a year to live at the most. I’m sorry for not telling you sooner.” 

Renju had been left sobbing at his desk after hearing the news. It was just too cruel. When Manaka died, they had been there for the baby she left behind. Hitomi raised Iris as her own daughter, with Renju’s help. Renju had watched Iris grow from baby to child to teenager, and even employed her. He was sure Manaka would have been proud of what a fine young woman Iris had grown to be. 

They worked so hard to protect her, to raise her in Manaka’s stead, and now fate was taking her away, robbing Hitomi of the child she loved so much? 

Renju became aware of a chattering sound and realised it was his own teeth. If he spent too long standing around in this place, he would freeze. He marched over to the forklift in the back and pulled out the bed. 

There lay Manaka, looking every bit the same as she had when she was laid to rest in this warehouse eighteen years before. The deep red gashes on her back stood out against her pale skin. A single eye stared blankly into space. Its twin was long gone, only a bloody hollow remaining where it had once been. 

It was never easy to come here and see Manaka like this, lifeless, curled up and frozen solid. She had been so young, only a year older than her daughter was now. Iris was the spitting image of her. 

Neither he nor Hitomi could possibly have imagined something so horrifying as Iris dying at the same age as her mother. 

Renju’s eyes prickled and the sight of the frozen corpse began to blur. His throat was filling up, preventing him from saying anything. 

Even if he could speak, what would he even say? Should he apologise? That was ridiculous. Commonsense dictated that there was nothing that could have been done to prevent this from happening. Even if an alternate timeline existed where Manaka had lived and raised her baby, the brain tumour was still bound to have happened. 

And yet, he somehow still felt guilty. How could they possibly have prevented things from turning out this way? It was nothing more than the cruel whims of fate. 

Fate had taken Manaka from them, and now it was trying to take her daughter. 

Renju gritted his teeth, forcing back the tears. There was no point in saying anything after all, and it wasn't like he had come to have a conversation with her. All he wanted was to see her again as he struggled to deal with the tragic news. He slid the bed back into the forklift, sealing Manaka back into the dark and empty space that was her grave.

With heavy steps, he marched away and left the warehouse, unaware of the person who watched him from the shadows.

  
  



End file.
